Chapter 43: Reward

Night fell with the howling wind. After a day of collecting firewood, Robert and Tibbers returned to the ship, hungry and cold. Even before boarding, they were greeted by an enticing aroma, unlike any food they had experienced before.

Ignoring their disheveled appearance, they rushed to the dining room, eager to see what was for dinner. Upon arrival, they found the others already seated at the table, waiting for them.

Ethan smiled as they entered. "You're finally back. Come and join us for dinner!"

Robert and Tibbers were taken aback by the untouched meal on the table. "Lord Ethan, why haven't you started eating? Why wait for us?" Robert asked cautiously, bowing his head.

Ethan chuckled. "It's a minor thing. I may not join you every night, but when I do, there's no need for formalities. I'm sure you're hungry. Try Miss Lily's cooking!"

Thanking Ethan, they quickly sat down and began to eat ravenously. "This is delicious!" "So good!"

"What did you make today, Miss Lily?" they asked.

Lily, pleased to see everyone enjoying the meal, replied, "This is steamed grouper, a recipe Lord Ethan taught me. It's paired with black bread and mushroom soup. Do you like it?"

"It's amazing, so delicious!" they exclaimed.

Lily beamed with pride. "Glad you like it! There's plenty more. I'll make more delicious dishes tomorrow."

She glanced at Ethan with a smile, knowing that he had transferred his [Culinary Mastery] skill to her using his [High Interest] skill, enabling her to master the recipe easily.

[High Interest]: Active Skill Lv5

You can transfer your strength and attributes to a target without a time limit. If the target defeats or kills an enemy, you will gain 40%-100% of that enemy's strength, depending on the enemy's condition. If the target is defeated or killed, you will lose 20%-100% of your investment. You can only lend to the same target three times.

Ethan had never used this skill before, thinking of it only as a way to plunder. Now he realized it could also be used to cultivate skills in others. By learning various weapon specializations and transferring them to his companions, he could quickly build a team of skilled fighters.

Of course, he couldn't rush this and had to be careful about who received these skills. He decided to use this as a reward for those who contributed significantly to the territory.

Currently, he focused on Angelina and Lily. He had considered transferring his second talent, [Archery Mastery], to Angelina, but without Force Awakening, it was useless to her. Instead, he planned to transfer [Unarmed Combat Mastery], enhancing her physical attributes and survival skills. He would fill her three lending slots if she could awaken her Force.

Lily would also be rewarded similarly, with the flexibility to choose from various skills, excluding the first three talents. Ethan smiled at Lily and said, "Lily, for improving our meals, I want to reward you!"

Lily was delighted. "What will you reward me with?"

Ethan asked, "How do you find my combat skills?"

"They're incredible!" Lily said, then hesitated. "Are you going to teach me swordsmanship?"

"Would you like to learn?" Ethan asked.

"I would love to, but your sword looks so heavy. I'm not sure I can lift it," Lily replied.

Ethan laughed, pulled out a dagger, and performed a quick trick, flipping it and landing it precisely in the hole of a donut on the table. "How about a dagger? With the right skills, you could defeat anyone, no matter their strength."

Lily's excitement was palpable. "Yes, please teach me!"

"Alright! In a few days, I'll teach you, and I promise you'll become a dagger expert in just one day!" Ethan said with a mysterious smile.

"Really? Just one day?" Lily asked in disbelief.

"Of course! You'll see," Ethan nodded confidently. "But remember, don't use your skills against your friends."

"I won't, I promise!" Lily said, grinning.

Hearing Ethan's promise to teach Lily so quickly, the three wilderness experts were envious, wishing they had something to contribute to the territory. Tibbers suddenly remembered something and took out a pouch. "Lord Ethan, while gathering firewood, I found some herbs. This vine root has hemostatic properties. I want to contribute it to the territory."

Ethan couldn't help but laugh. He knew Tibbers was skilled with herbs but hadn't shown much initiative until now. "Thank you for your contribution. Keep it up, and I'll teach you a combat skill too. What would you like to learn?"

"Thank you, Lord Ethan! I'll do my best. I'd like to learn dual-wielding. Is that alright?" Tibbers asked.

"No problem! You'll master it in one day!" Ethan assured him.

As everyone continued their meal, the atmosphere was filled with newfound excitement and anticipation for their skills training and the improvements they could bring to their territory.